Experts warn of dangers following 3 children left in vehicle

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A woman spent the night in Brazos County jail after officers found a five-year-old and two 10-month-old twins were left in a vehicle, according to court documents.

The incident happened at HEB on Villa Maria Road at around 9:30 p.m. Monday, but responding officers reported the temperature outside at the time was up to 85 degrees.

The mother is being charged with three counts of neglect and is accused of leaving them in the vehicle that wasn’t running for about 15 minutes.

Even though it was the evening and the sun was down, experts say serious dangers arise at just 70 degrees outside. This week, overnight temperatures aren’t expected to drop much below 75 degrees.

“Kid’s body temperatures rise five times faster than adults do,” Chris Lamb with the Bryan Fire Department said. “We’re not talking about 30 minutes. We’re talking five minutes. We’re talking three minutes, you know, it all depends on when that child’s temperature gets to that point. So where they cannot thermally regulate and cool themselves off and that happens very quickly in children.”

According to the National Safety Council, on average 38 children under the age of 15 die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. The number of child hot car deaths for 2023 was 29. So far in 2024, no deaths have been reported.

According to court documents, a passerby noticed the young children in the turned-off vehicle alone and reported it to managers at HEB who then contacted 9-1-1.

Lamb says if you notice a situation like this, take action and ensure everyone inside is okay until officers respond.

“Immediately call 9-1-1, start talking, yelling to the kid in the backseat, and make sure they’re responding to you. If at any point you feel concerned that that child is becoming unresponsive or not reacting to you, you get in that car — any means you can and if that means breaking a window, break a window. Get the kids out and immediately cool them down until EMS arrives,” he said.

Lamb says it’s helpful to come up with a plan as temperatures continue climbing. This could mean leaving a purse or shoe in the backseat to make sure everyone is out of the car before you can leave or teaming up with your spouse or partner to ensure there’s a check-in when someone reaches their final destination.

In court documents, arresting officers cited a “heavy homeless population” at the location and shared concerns about the young children’s inability to fend for themselves.